Summary Political and Governmental Change in the Weimar Republic
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Course
Unit 1G - Germany and West Germany, 1918-89
Institution
PEARSON (PEARSON)
A summary of the political and governmental changes throughout the Weimar Republic. Includes detailed notes on how the Weimar Republic was created, the structure of the Weimar Constitution, and how it was flawed, and finally the collapse of democracy in Germany with Hitler's rise to power.
Political and governmental change in the Weimar Republic 1918-33
- Abolition of conscription
The creation of a Republic 1918-19 - Reduction of Army to 100,000
- General staff abolished
Revolution from Above - Tanks, big guns and military aircraft forbidden
- Last major offensive in WWI was the ‘Spring Offensive’ - German fleet reduced to warships less than 10,000 tonnes and
- Offensive concluded that the war couldn’t be won and an no submarines
armistice was needed - Rhineland became a DMZ w/o fortifications → Allied troops
- Military command distanced themselves from the ToV to occupied the left bank
ensure that blame for poor provisions of the treaty could be 4. Removal of economic assets
placed on the Left - Reparations was not agreed yet
- Created the ‘stab in the back’ myth → military leadership → 1921 - decided £6,600,000,000
was not to blame for defeat, but was the Republicans and - Called for a surrender of assets in patents, overseas investments
Jews and property
- Aims: - 5-yr ban on German protective tariffs
→ prevent the outbreak of rev’tary disturbances in Germany
Impact of the treaty
→ secure the best possible peace terms w/ the Allies
Germany lost:
→ generate the ‘stab in the back’ myth
- 13% territory
- 6m subjects
Treaty of Versailles June 1919 - 15% arable land
Main terms: - 75% iron ore
1. Permanent removal of territory - 68% zinc ore
- All land gained at Treaty of Brest-Litovsk - 26% coal production
- Upper Silesia - Polish border
- Alsace and Lorraine - French border Reasons for German discontent with the Treaty
- Eupen and Malmédy - Belgian border - Treaty was a dictated settlement and imposed by force
- All overseas colonies given to the LoN - Treaty was at variance w/ Wilson’s 14 Points → self-
2. Occupation of territory by the LoN
determination and the loss of colonies
- Subject to time limits and w/o loss of sovereignty
- West - the Saar - Found it impossible to accept the ‘War Guilt’ clause stating
- East - Danzig made a ‘free city’ that Germany started the war and had to give reparations in
3. Limitations of arms and DMZs return
- Treatment by the Allies was demeaning
, Political and governmental change in the Weimar Republic 1918-33
- Exclusion from the LoN made Germany seem like a tool to the - Kaiser had no other option but to abdicate due to:
Allies → mass demonstrations joined by soldiers
→ Max von Baden stated this as the best chance of saving the
monarchy
Political reform 1918
→ High Command informed Wilhelm II that the armed forces no
- Kaiser gave up his powers over the army and navy and
transferred them to the Reichstag longer supported him
- Chancellor and his gov’t made accountable for the Reichstag - Monarchy completely collapsed when Germany became a
instead of the Kaiser Republic
- Prince Max von Baden appointed Chancellor
Interim gov’t
Revolution from Below - Formed the Council of People’s Commissars - SPD and USPD
Reaction to the news of defeat had 3 seats each
- Outrage over the propaganda that lied about Germany’s - Led by Ebert
position in the war
- Desire to see the war end asap at any price Ebert-Groener Pact
- Gathering of a peace movement that turned radical and anti- - Head of the Armed Forces Groener made a deal w/ Ebert
monarchical - Interim gov’t would support the armed forces in return for
allowing the army to preserve discipline and oppose any
Kiel Mutiny attempts at a rev’tary uprising
- Mutiny spread after 2 ships denied a commander’s orders - Created to control the violent extreme left
- Sailors, soldiers and workers set up soviets in the main cities
- Started the revolution from below Stinnes-Legien Agreement
- Representatives of the main trade unions met w/ employers
SPD - Unions wouldn’t interfere w/ private ownership and the free
- Well-est. party w/ mass support from the w/class market if they were given full legal recognition and 8-hr
- Supported socialist policies but did not seek a Bolshevik working day
revolution - Prevented the nat’lisation of industry
- In position to lead the revolution from below
→ had >1m members and 34.8% vote in 1914 Nat’l Congress of Workers’ and Soldiers’ Councils
- Mainly SPD and USPD members
- Voted on fixing the date of the election for 19 Jan 1919
Abdication of the Kaiser Nov 1918
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